You're Not Alone In This Nightmare
by DeathByTorchwood
Summary: This is a sweet friendship fic about how Effie and Haymitch deal with the Games together. Since it talks about tributes dying, I'm hoping I rated it "T" to be careful.


Title: You're Not Alone In This Nightmare

Author: DeathByTorchwood

Pairing: Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket

Author's Note: Hi! This isn't a relationship one shot, it's a friendship one. Constructive criticism is accepted but please no negativity though. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games. The only thing I own is a computer, internet connection, and an account.

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Haymitch had been doing this a lot longer than she had. He'd found the way to block out the pain of sending two kids to their death each year. Granted it wasn't the healthiest of ways to deal, it was still effective for him. The entire Games span he'd be beyond drunk, the pain and demons couldn't touch him if he was inebriated.

Effie, on the other hand, had a harder time dealing with it. In private of course, she could only imagine what the Capitol would do if they knew. But it was still hard. She couldn't drink the pain away like Haymitch. She wasn't an emotionless sociopath who didn't care, like many of the other escorts.

Her first year, she joined Haymitch in drinking but it didn't help.

The next year, she tried to spend as little time with the tributes as she could. She thought that if she didn't know them personally then she wouldn't feel as bad. But that proved to be wrong when her male tribute was ripped apart by four Careers. Her female tribute had died during the blood bath but the male tribute had lasted longer.

Even though it didn't work, Effie still tried not to spend too much time with the tributes. She tried so hard not to get emotionally attached.

Eventually she accepted the fact that she'd forever be haunted with this job. She would never be able to deal.

Until finally she found a tiny bit of light. Tiny, but still there.

"You know, despite that Capitol mask you put on, I know, Effie." Haymitch had said to her one night.

"Shouldn't you be drinking yourself to death, Haymitch?" She had snapped at him. She was exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Their last tribute, the male named Dennis, had just been beheaded grotesquely.

What he did next came as a complete shock to her. He shook his head, chuckled, a bit forced might she add, and said, "You're strong, Effie. Stronger than me." With that, he left her alone to contemplate what he had said.

What did he mean by she was stronger than him? She wasn't strong, she couldn't fight. He could, he won the Games once. He was strong.

She didn't truly understand his words till a few years later when he came to see her after another tragic death of their last tribute.

"You're not alone, you know. That's a good way to survive the games. Not being alone." Haymitch told her.

She looked at him flabbergasted. "I'm not in the Games, Haymitch!" She stated.

"Not directly. But you're still a part of it. Each year, we bring two kids to their death." He reminded her.

"Yes, thank you for reminding me that I bring two kids here every year!" She snapped at him, her voice breaking at the end.

"No. Not you, we. We bring them. The two of us." He said. Before she could respond to that, he spoke up again. "You're not alone. You don't have to face this nightmare alone."

"So are you saying that you're here for me, Haymitch?" She asked incredously.

"Yes. I'm here. You can't face your demons alone. Just like I can't." He paused and then added, "As much as I hate that you have to go through this; that you have to be here every year. I'm glad I'm not alone. I was alone in the arena after Maysilee died. But now I have you and you have me as well."

She didn't know what caused her actions next, if it was the words, the exhaustion, the pain, loneliness, or what. But the next thing she knew she was hugging him, tightly, and he was hugging her back.

She'd finally found a way to deal with the Games.

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Thank you for reading! I love to hear your feedback!

-DeathByTorchwood


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